High Hopes: A Phillies Podcast - Late-Night AMA Following Phillies Extra-Inning Win Over Cubs

Episode Date: April 28, 2025

Jack Fritz reacts to the Phillies' Sunday Night Baseball win over the Cubs on Sunday night and fields questions regarding some of the struggling players on the team and what has him confident the team can maintain this momentum heading into a homestand. Presented by Miller Lite. To purchase Ring The Bell by Jack Fritz and Kevin Reavy, go to RingTheBellBook.com To learn more about listener data and our privacy practices visit: https://www.audacyinc.com/privacy-policy Learn more about your ad choices. Visit https://podcastchoices.com/adchoices

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From the bleachers to the clubhouse. Whether you're a diehard fan or just a casual observer, these conversations are aimed to educate, entertain, and most importantly, inform you. Follow the baseballs and boring podcast in the free Odyssey app or wherever you get your podcast. This is the high hopes podcast Podcast. High Hopes! On the Odyssey app and Sports Radio 94 WIP. The crowd was singing High Hopes!

Smiling through a broken nose. Oh, High Hopes! High Hopes! I feel a little less alone. Never a doubt. Never a doubt. Listen, we said last podcast, we're buying Jordan Romano stock, and who's to say? Who's to say if he's not back? Who's to say? I'm trying not to be super, super loud. Now I do have obviously my headphones in so I can't tell walks like right below us. But us But listen when when the Phil's come back and they win a game like that In a series they needed, you know, we said last podcast that you know It's one of those must win to a three type of series not let we always joke like must win can't lose Yada yada yada. Well, that was one that I mean for the way that this team is played the way that They have lost series to two good teams after what just happened in New York

We saw good fight from the fills so good right from fills We don't need to talk about Friday Friday was a disaster cares about Friday Saturday and Sunday I think we saw the hopefully the real version of the Philly. So welcome on in. It is the high hopes podcast. James Seltzer is currently on his third, I believe it's his third delayed flight of the day. So if you know anything about James Seltzer, that's not a, that's not a good situation for Seltz. That's not a strong suit of his.

So, can only imagine how much his leg is currently shaking as it's about 10 o'clock in the night that I believe he is flying from Dallas to Louisville and then eventually to Philadelphia. So, just thoughts, tease and peace to James Celts as he works his way through getting home. So, decided to take this one down solo and had it lost Not sure that would happen, but the way in which they won this game a game in which

They never win the Phillies never in my entire existence Win that game where they probably shouldn't won tonight, you know, the Cubs hit some balls hard We'll say the Castellanos ball off of Presley was disgusting bad that that that ball didn't go out I thought it was a Bonnie is all over again like game 5 2011 So didn't appreciate the camera angle didn't appreciate the wind. I'm pretty now All things considered the wind did definitely help and this is a front ending on Saturday But I'm pretty sick and tired of the the Wrigley wind, especially in April, like I don't think you should be allowed to play Major

League Baseball on Wrigley Field in in April. It just it seems like such a ridiculous premise given the given the the wind. So what a win? What a comeback. And and I think the thing I'm most proud of tonight is, as we kind of open here, the little AMA version, as you know, get all your questions in, have any thoughts on the game tonight, we'd love to hear them. I can't take phone calls,

which is highly disappointing after a win like that. But Tucker will put up all the, will put the best questions up and we'll kind of go from there. But tonight, I mean, the first thing that we have to talk about is Aaron Nola, who I thought was just downright brilliant. I thought Aaron Nola, that's,

I'm gonna do the best version of Nola's that we've seen in a couple of years. I mean, from, like I think we might've found his plan. Now, I think his plan is a lot easier when he's sitting 93 rather than 90. But even with that, you know, I haven't seen him locate his cutter the way that he located his cutter tonight.

And that pitch being somewhat of a weapon to get off of a barrel is just so big for him when he's not an over overpowering type arm. He's obviously a more of a finesse type type arm and you know, just just the way that he was able to command the cutter down a way to righties and not have them being so accustomed to if they see fastball out of hand to just know that that ball is going to eventually come back in and

Right off their barrel the thing that Carter does is it lets the hitter see fastball out of hand and They know the spot is gonna end up in but it goes away from the barrel And I think that when Nola struggles He obviously gets into the middle of the barrel and ends up in the middle of the zone. And that's when he's giving up the solo home runs. And when he's getting into those big innings, they can't seem to get out of it. So, like, I just think that that plan, completely understand, coupled with 93, makes it that much difference, that much of a difference. But there's so many instances tonight where he's able to locate that cutter away, they're taking feeble swings at it,

even when they make contact, it's not doing anything. Like they're not making hard contact, he's keeping the ball down. When he's going up, he's going up and out of the zone. Instead of being up and just hitting the top portion of the strike zone at 91, he's at least missing out of the zone. Instead of being up and just hitting the top portion of the strike zone at 91, he's at least missing out of the zone.

He's changing the hitter's eye level, and then he's going either back with the curve ball or dotting a fastball slash cutter down a way to a righty. Like, what you saw from Aaron Noel tonight was pitching. That was pitching in its purest form. It was beautiful. And I just hope that that is something that he can kind of feel going forward as his plan. Because when Nolan really struggles, it's when he starts doing that, like the curveball over and over and over again.

And it almost becomes a crutch for him to where people can just sit on it, wait for it to be up a little bit and bang, ya ya. But what happened tonight, again is that he wasn't overusing it. When he needed to chase a strikeout, he could go curveball. When he wanted to change eye levels, he would go curveball. But what Aaron Nola did tonight was fastballs down away, fastballs down away, cutters down away and making the hitters down away and

making the hitters beat him and they couldn't do it. They just couldn't do it. So I am, I am so, even if they lost tonight and and God forbid had they lost tonight, even if they lost tonight, what you saw from Aaron Nola was a huge step forward. I mean a huge, huge, huge step forward. And you get him rolling with what Lazardo did on Saturday. I mean, I, I, Jesus Lazardo. First, first excited as, as, as James and I were as excited as the high hopes community was about Hazel's Lazardo. He's even better than I thought. And the way that he the way that he is really developing in front of

our eyes from a from a pure pitching standpoint, and understanding that early contact is fine. You saw Aaron Ola in the middle of the game tonight. Early contact being fine. Chris Sanchez was really helped unlock Chris Sanchez is, is early contact and being able to, to get deep into a ball game. I mean, the Phillies in a way, pitching staff wise are, are a bit of a throwback from, from the standpoint of they want pitchers throwing deep in games. They want early contact.

They don't always chase strikeouts and For the most part it's led to really good health, you know I mean, I know that Rangers kind of been battling some things but for the most part they're throwing more their arms are used to it They're getting quick outs. They're able to go deeper into ballgames. And you know, that's why starting staff wise They've been so so high up in in Major League Baseball last couple years So you have what hazes did how good hazes has been you have Nola having that kind of performance Chris Sanchez Fine and Zach Wheeler obviously is Zach Wheeler like it's all Starting staff wise if there was a reason why you don't want to give up on the Fills,

starting staff is probably the reason why. The starting staff is that good. And man, getting that kind of performance from Nola, now maybe the weather is a little warmer, he felt like he could let it loose a little bit more tonight. But that was, I mean, that was that was 18. No, I mean, that was that was 18. You know, big spot in a marquee ballpark. I don't always want to reference the 18 started Wrigley. But I mean, that's that's what it looked like. That is what it looked like. But man, an

exciting night and exciting night. Bullpen would never, would never start getting too ahead of myself with the Phillies bullpen. But maybe some guys are starting to settle into, settling into the season. Alvarado dominant tonight. A good bounce back performance from Kirk Ring. Kirk Ring, I still think, you know, we talked last podcast about how in a in a great bullpen He might be the he might be the fourth guy Super high-end fourth guy, but you don't always trust him And you don't always trust him in

In in really high lever spots, but a good piece of a bullpen. Alvarado obviously looks great. Strom, I don't really like yesterday again. I don't it stinks because obviously you want your ace relievers to come in in a game that you're dominating and just go out there and do a job. But we've seen this over and over again with these relievers that come into these to these low leverage situations that are usually high leverage for them. And they just straight up struggle. And it's a bit of an emotional letdown coming to that spot. I believe what

happened yesterday. I know that there's people wondering why Strom was in the game. I believe what happened yesterday was that he was hot in the fifth because it was getting tight there. He was hot in the sixth and instead of just Going to someone else. He already has him hot You might as well put him in the ballgame and you're gonna burn you pretty much burn him Anyway with the amount that he warmed up you might as well see what he has and you know, it didn't really go Well, it didn't go out. But I think if you're worried about strong, I think you're just kind of wasting breath. Romano looking the way that he did tonight and really he's had even the Mets outing.

I didn't think he looked bad. I know that he lost the game. Alonso went out and that's just a great piece of heading. You know, sometimes you got to chalk it up to the header. That was a great piece of heading from from Pete Alonzo went out and that's just a great piece of hitting. Sometimes you gotta chalk it up to the hitter. That was a great piece of hitting from Pete Alonzo. He went down, flipped a breaking ball into the gap, did a job great. Starling Marte got jammed, sawed him off, and it just happened to fall right over Bryson Scott's glove. Starling Marte kills the Phillies.

He was always going to get hit in that spot. I don't know what people were expecting. If you're expecting to get an out there, simply not possible against Sterling Marthe. But Romano, even in the outing that he was... We love to do the explanation versus excuses thing. The tipping pitches thing makes so much more sense when you see what has happened the last two outings and you see the uptick and stuff versus what happened against the Marlins where again high leverage reliever and is for the majority of his career is coming into a low leverage spot and and doesn't have his doesn't have his a game. But again I think he was different pitches I think they've worked on him tipping pitches

and I think that I think going forward you're going to see a better version of Jordan Romano than we've seen at the beginning of the season, the fact that his stuff is back up to 97, 98, the fact that, I mean, that, that slider, he threw to Michael Bush, it looked like it disappeared from my screen. I mean, it looked like it completely disappeared from my screen to where I just didn't see it. So I know he's a two pitch guy. I get it. But it's when it's right and it's up in the zone

and he allows it to get the rise underneath of it. It's a it's a hard foreseen fastball to to consistently square up. So overall, obviously, the offense continues to be the main bugaboo for this team. And even tonight, I mean, Jameson Tyone was good to a certain extent, but you know, I think they sometimes bail them out by swinging early and counts when they didn't have to Bomber I know he had the big RBI late, which is good But I thought he bailed him out, you know

I don't know what he planned on doing an OO cutter on the outside portion of the plate and then late in the game he swung at a piece one get a 3-1 slider in the dirt and thankfully He swung at a 3-1 slider in the dirt and thankfully held off on the pitch from Mayweather in extras now. They're not meeting much, or he wasn't on base pass, but still. The offense is going to be the offense. I think they're going to be super inconsistent.

They're going to be really frustrating. You just kind of have to hope that they can go on a bit of a stretch and and they look they look fine I think you like the their rate in which they're walking, you know star the top of the lineup Does you know the start top of the lineup is doing his thing? Obviously the the triple of night was was really good We love the the amount of pitches he sees per plate appearance Trey couple hits tonight We love the the amount of pitches he sees per plate appearance tray couple hits tonight shout to Debruhan for not charging the baseball with arguably the one of the five fastest players at the plate Pretty bold decision one thing I noticed from from from trade tonight, and I hadn't noticed it I don't think the last couple of games is

Maybe a little bit of a two-strike approach. I mean, let's I know it's Sunday night at about 10 18. You know, it's it might be high hopes after dark. But I mean, a two strike approach from Trey where he's not super looking like and getting a leg down late and being late on pitches, we like to see it. We like to see it. But he did a little bit of a toe tap. Honestly, I would take two strike approach tray for an entire at bat. I just want to see what it would look like. You know, that was a thing a couple of years ago, where, you know, to get stopped where they want to start to get to back in 2023, is they just said, Hey, have a two strike approach the entire time. And he did it helped helped stop kind of take off.

I kind of, it makes it harder for him to strike out, which we'd like to see Trey puts the bat on the baseball. We're monitoring the two strike approach from Trey. Bryce, just like, it looks like there's a lack of, like it's just, it doesn't look as quick. I don't know how to explain it, but you know, the hacks, he's swinging and missing and just not seeing the off-speed pitches very well. And then he's getting breaking ball to death.

And then when he does get a fast ball, it feels like he's so late on it. So maybe just in between, in between swings right now. And as the season rolls along, he'll get it going, but it's kind of jarring seeing him hitting 232 right now, I believe. And some of the at bats are just so, 32 right now, I believe and some of the at bats are just so

Are just so like not Bryce types where He's still walking a ton still has an elite eye but the amount of swinging this and not even being close on on some sliders I Obviously we're not pressing the panic button He's gonna be I'd be surprised if he'd up here and go on a stretch But it kind of it kind of looks like he's holding back a little bit on when to kind of launch so Obviously like a great night from night from Bryce tonight and then had a big double yesterday

But still you're kind of waiting for him to go on a bad of a two-week tear We thought he's breaking out after the 10-day thing Yeah, I would they talking about Kevin Long, but you know college over extended the the on Bay Street tonight We love to see that we're coming for Ted Williams record So, you know had the walk still has not produced I think the way that they want I think the a bad so overall have been fine He's just missed a couple pitches, but you haven't seen him obviously Power wise in the cleanup spot protecting Bryce hasn't totally been there. So maybe as it gets more comfortable

He starts to heat back up. I think Schwab or traditionally is obviously gonna be hot and cold hot and cold and He's been more consistent hundred percent percent for the last year, year and a half. Um, but would I think when he heats up, it's going to make things a lot easier. And again, like some of the things that you, you want to see, which is, which is, uh, you know, a lot of walks, hopefully the amount of base runs are getting eventually it leads to better numbers with runs scoring position. But really those two in the middle getting going would obviously help carry this lineup a lot. Because I think kind of know what you're getting from start at this point,

which is he's going to work a good plate appearance. He's you know, he'll mix in a triple every once in a while. But like he's more of a singles hitter at this point. Hopefully can see all bag Trey I think it's now 50. I think he has one extra base hit in his last 55 plate appearances or 54 plate appearances, so he's more of a singles hitter. It's those two Castellanos I mean, he's been really good that home I mean, he's been really good. At home, he jumped off the couch, was ready to go run down the streets of Westchester with the Gassianos ball tonight. But it's hard to get too high, hard to get too low with Gassianos.

I think we just settle into he's going to have some incredibly frustrating chases, but he's going to be more good than he's not gonna be good. You know JT, I just, we might be playing out the strength with JT. Max Kepler to his credit, I think heading into the night is batting 361 in his last 12 games. Did work that big walk in extra innings which is good to say, he's a little nervous it was not a hot night for Kepler. And then Boam, we know what Boam is I mean, he's starting to heat back up a little bit. So he started to heat back up a little bit. Now it's never going to be I mean, he still has I think he has I mean, he is obviously no home runs. He has two walks now. So

that's huge. That was a big development. I was trying to try to calculate how many extra base hits that the bombers up to now, but at least he's not wasting everyone's time up there. And then Roas, I mean, get a bump down. And then when you do get a bump down, not right at the first, not only the line drive to the first baseman in that situation, but you know, and also the ball earlier probably should have got to it. I think at a point zero ten expected batting average. So should probably make that catch. But the wind was really howling.

So whatever it is, what it is, Rojas does usually get to the ball when it's when it's out there. But just some unbelievable frustrating, unbelievably frustrating bunt tonight as a word. Again, he needs to be able to get bunt down. He's super fast. That's winning baseball. And the Phillies struggle again

from the winning baseball aspect at some points. But not tonight, the Phillies are winners in what was a really important win. I mean, a really important win. You know, they've, they've played really well against the Dodgers, played really well against the Cubs. Met series was infuriating and, uh, and, and the Cardinal series. Yeah.

But that Cubs team has played damn good baseball at home and tonight to hold them to one run what they did yesterday pitching wise. That's big stuff. That is big, big stuff from this Phillies team and maybe starting to see some some real fortitude from them. Real fortitude because they need it. And it's the only thing that's going to pull them out of this, out of whatever funk they're in is themselves. I think tonight was just a really big step forward, a little bit of a momentum swing heading into the off day tomorrow. Nationals coming into town. Nats are frisky. I mean, the Nats are playing decent baseball right now.

They're not the pushover Nats that they've been the last couple years Nats have they came back from I think seven one against the Mets today and man But still you're at home nationals in town. Let's go do a job. I just think that They lose that game tonight. They're getting on the plane home like is it not our year? and I know that it's that it's April 27th, but sometimes you gotta have a feel and sometimes you'll have to pull yourselves out of it.

And they have plenty of times to pull themselves out of it. It just might take a little bit longer. But I think that win, like they got tonight and getting on that plane, feeling good about themselves, saying, hey, we know what getting on that plane, feeling good about themselves saying, Hey, we know what happened in New York. We know that that, Hey, the Mets are playing good baseball right now, but being able to, to get that win in that stadium on Saturday night baseball, a

game where it didn't look like he was trending your way, a game in which Knowles came out and completely shoved the game where your offense didn't totally have it. And being able to sneak out of there with a win, maybe, maybe just get some wind at their sails as they as they get home for a home stand off of what should be a pretty pretty good stretch here of not tough tough opponents. Mom's dads, are you the parent of a student athlete? Do you want to know how to get the most out of youth sports? If so, listen to the next pitch podcast to give you the tools to raise an aspiring athlete. It's not simple, but we talk straight and give you the best insight there is when it comes to youth sports. We'll cover everything from

nutrition and training to mental toughness and teamwork. It's a podcast you can listen to together with your kids. So everyone can benefit. Follow next pitch on the Odyssey app or wherever you listen to podcasts. All right, Tucker, let's, uh, let's throw some questions up here, uh, before we get out of here on this, uh, on this Sunday night. All right. From Alicia, the team seemed to take good at battling the game. How do we translate that to have patience

in early stages of the game and wait for the right pitch to hit? Yeah, I mean, I think that one thing you can think about with the Phillies offensively right now is they have a super high walk rate, which is great, as long as they're able to, to bring them home and Bow it real quick so they go Nationals and then diamond backs which will obviously be tough And then it goes at the Rays at Guardians first Cardinals. So again, it's not That's not exactly the easiest but but towards the end of

May But towards the end of of of May pirates at Rockies at A's So if there's a place for offense to heat up certainly at Rockies and that A's is not at that place So back to the question, you know, I think that um If you're looking for a glass half full with the Phillies offense even though they can be maddening and you're starting to see some more chase from players that had done a good job early in the season and oh Man, but we sure like to see some more some more slug for a team for a team that is quote-unquote built a slug You hope that the amount of base runners are getting that water eventually find its level and these guys are professional hitters and my hope with

with Saturday was You know, they had a lot of opportunities, they had some balls just fall in that they hadn't exactly gotten. They hadn't exactly gotten those breaks the last couple of weeks, they had some of those fall in. And then you hope that that carries over and they start to get some confidence because I think hitting with, with runners, the scoring position and, and with two outs is really confidence based. I mean, you look at the Mets, right.

And the Mets, they seem like they, they just know with two outs and, and a runner in scoring position, they're going to get them home. So, you know, I think, I think that a lot of it is confidence and. Once they get rolling a little bit, then I think everyone starts feeling the same way. But I think for the most part, the at-bat quality has been better. It's really just about getting Harper going, getting Schwabber going. I think you have a pretty good sense of what you're getting from Stoughton Turner at the top.

And then can one of those guys at the bottom of the lineup get a big hit and kind of help you out. But I think from the standpoint of working quality at bat, you know, Stott obviously, Harper obviously, Schwab obviously, I think Kepler does. And then you really need the wild cards, Trey, Casianos, JT and Bombe to just not have those unproductive first pitch swinging. Just nothing at bats. I mean, it was the fifth inning tonight. It was a five pitch inning. What are we doing? What are we doing? All right, what's next? from my guy Mickey a Durkin. Honestly, Cubs fans have to be top five fan bases in baseball true or false for it.

So I am so jealous of the Cubs like fan base culture and I know it's based out of a loveable losing, but again, we could have that here. I think having a stadium in town really helps from that. I mean, Wrigleyville's amazing. And I went there for my bachelor party back in 2018, but who could forget? Dylan Cousins big game tying home run in like the eighth of that game.

And then Jason Hayward turned around a fastball from Adam Morgan to have them lose. First first fastball Jason Hayward had turned around on since his opening day home run in his first ever game in the big leagues. So it's just it's just like baseball is life in there. And obviously, you know, me, you know, Seltzer, you know, if you listen to this podcast, baseball is our lives. And yeah, I mean, having Wrigleyville, having people basically just live right by the ballpark

and those Cubs teams, like go Cubs go, an unbelievable song when those teams were in the playoffs. So yeah, the Cubs are pretty awesome and I hope that Has the Phillies continue to play good baseball hopefully for a good stretch here, you know Maybe we start developing some some fun traditions of our own. But yeah, I'm pretty jealous of The Cubs culture was next What's next? From Daniel more Mac two questions What are your best tips for throwing a baseball and then what triple a arm would you call for a pen replacement?

So I think the pen replacement unfortunately max's are gonna hit around a little bit yesterday So I'll take I'll take Joel Coon. Oh, I believe that they have to They have to create a 40-man Roger spot for best tips for throwing a baseball Well, if you want to go if you want to throw deeper into a game long toss and then like a Lot of it starts with your legs. I mean you're supposed to now when I was growing up It was always like poles and run long distance to build up leg strength and then as I

got into college and later in the later in high school it was a lot more sprint based off to because you know pitching is a sprint like the physical act of pitching is a sprint but I always liked I mean I didn't at the time like poles, but, you know, I mean, it was always, always build the leg strength. And then it was also long tossing. Also, again, I can't tell if the stuff that I talk about now is super outdated with all the cameras and just how advanced pitching stuff has gotten.

So again, this could be. Two two thousands baseball knowledge, but something that some that that really helped me. For whatever career I had was the towel drill where you just take a towel, you put it in between your fingers and then you simulate your motion and it really helps you focus on finishing. Now it does create like it's it's dry runs, which is the never once you do dry runs, but it is something that helps you finish through.

And ultimately that's what you want because again, you don't want to throw to the catcher, you want to throw through the catcher. And I think the towel drill is, is great at that. So I think long tossing is really important. They say if you can throw like 100 yards on a football field that means you can throw 90 miles an hour on a mound. I never got there but I was damn close and that was a big day for me back in high school. All right what's next? Evan Gaffey, what do you think the plan will look like for Marsh when he presumably comes back?

I think it's going to be what it is. I think he's going to be in center field sometimes and Rojas will be out there. It's not like Rojas. Now Rojas has had some moments, but I don't know if they're like, well, there he is. Here's Johan Rojas. I think they want to see what Marsh has and I think the reality is, is that Marsh has to prove himself or maybe they dangle him as trade bait in a package for a reliever. Again, he would not be the headliner of a package, but someone who could play the outfield

that has a pretty good prospect pedigree. And, you know, I just, maybe he's a part of a trade package, and they just go with a Rojas and, and, you know, maybe a Crawford, I have no idea. But I think they're gonna at least give them some runway here, and let them come back. Now he did get hurt again today. So you know, maybe it just could be a season from hell from Marsh which would stink but you know I kind of floated the idea maybe two podcasts ago of of the Rojas and and Crawford platoon and center field now obviously Crawford has to continue to do a triple a I think he's

back over 300, but whatever. And then Kepler, who again, starting to hit much better, but Kepler and Kemp in left field. Come on, man. Otto Kemp, I think he made his second career start out in left field the other night. And I don't know, man. He's raking up a triple A. So I'm trying not to get ahead of myself with Auto Camp, but he keeps hitting well and They keep moving all over the field whether it's left field whether it's third base whether it's second base whether it's first base

so they're clearly trying to find some kind of Positional versatility for Auto Camp because the bat might just play it might just play now He's a little on the shorter side, so maybe the power potential isn't there. And again, I'm not trying to hype him up like he is a future star, but just be a competent big league hitter. I think that could be AutoCamp. I mean, almost like the almost like, you know, an old- school Cardinals type player. Now, unfortunately, the Cardinals only develop

those kinds of players and that's why they're not very good anymore. But like AutoCamp hopefully can just be a winning baseball player. So we'll see, we'll see what happens. But I think that when Mars is healthy, he'll come back up, he'll play center field, he'll play left field,

and they'll give them some runway and see if they got to make a decision around the trade deadline of what direction they want to go in. All right, what's next? All right, Joshua D'Orazio. I wonder if there's any relation to our good friend Justin D'Orazio. Is it realistic to think that Crawford, Miller, Kemp, and Rikona is all good opportunities at the big league level this year?

If so, how the pieces fit. So I think it's gonna take an injury. I mean, I do definitely for Aiden, Aiden I think is gonna be, he's not gonna make the big league roster this year, unless again, he gets stupid hot and they have an injury. But by the way, I believe that we're about to make our announcement on a trip up to Redding to go see Aidan and the fight and fill.

So looking forward to that. So stay tuned for announcement on us going up to Redding for a little high hopes nightly we did in Wilmington last year. But yeah, so I think that, you know, Aiden, no chance. Kemp, definitely a chance. Crawford, a chance. And then, and then Rincones, I would love to see him. But again, he's a corner guy.

Unless Kepler gets hurt, unless, unless Cassiano somehow gets hurt the nicky ripken there in right field uh there's there it's not happening i don't think uh again power's really interesting but i think it's going to take an injury for a lot of those guys to to eventually get up there so um and even yeah i mean kemp might even take uh because i think that they're they want to give weston wilson Kemp might even take because I think that they're they want to give Weston Wilson the the chance to be the right-handed bench bat, but Maybe it forces their hand. He certainly did a great job, but I believe his OPS still over a thousand down in AAA So yeah, but I obviously can't wait to see them then get up here Hopefully they can get up here

But at the same time if they get up here that might not mean that things are Are going very well, so I would like things to go well with the guys that are here And then we can we can figure it out from there all right. What's next? Ethan Madnick Do you agree if this bullpen really wants to be great they need Romano and Kirk right to be the five six do you mean five6 from the standpoint of like the 5th or 6th guys in the bullpen or the 5th or 6th inning? I guess you would mean the 5th or 6th guy in the bullpen. Sure, but it's not really a reality at this point. I mean, if they could find one guy to push down them in the bullpen, that'd be great. But again, I think I'll continue to

buy Jordan Romano stock. I think that tonight you saw what a lot of people saw when he was a blue jay for that time period, which is a power fastball and then a slider off of that so yeah, I just I think he has the ability obviously to pitch in in the latter portions of the game and Kirkering I he might still be developing from the standpoint of being a late-ending reliever type But I still believe if he's a fourth guy in the bullpen, I think he'd feel great as long as the three other guys

are really solid. But maybe he just might not be one of the super, super high leverage guys. Now maybe that's an overreaction, just some bad outings and he can go on a run here and he certainly has done that. But we've also seen him in some big moments, not exactly live up to it. So, um, but yeah, I think, I think Romano, that adding tonight, your big hope is that that's a bit of a springboard into seeing more of the

Jordan Romano that you'd seen in, in 2000, in 21 to 23. So again, the fact that his fastball is up the way that it was, he's awesome real bite to the slider wasn't just it wasn't just all this kind of loopy slider types that pitch to Michael Bush really, really disappeared. So currently currently buying some some Jordan Mano stock. All right, let's do like two more. Currently currently buying some some Jordan Mano stock. All right, let's do like two more From Joshua the Phil's go back to Schwab with the leadoff spotter start our guy. Well, yeah, I think I think they're gonna

Ride with start here. I think it has to do with Schwab protecting Bryce now It's not exactly going great right now from from that standpoint But at the same time you don't want to overreact to two guys that have really long track records this early in a season. So, you know, for a questionable two-week stretch. So I think that this is probably their best chance to win this year. My pushback to the style and lead off spot, which has been pretty well documented is it's not about the first inning.

If it was only one inning, I love the idea of starting to lead off spot because the amount of pitches he sees per plate appearance is phenomenal. And working a pitcher matters and getting into strikes and fouling off a ton of pitches. Absolutely love it. She comes down to later in the game Would like a more like I see you like Tatis leading off and I see Otani leading off and I see they these these great offenses with like a in like a super impact bat batting first and

You know my old school self says I love it. Oh new school. New school self is a little bit like yeah Would like an impact bat there now the same time. They don't really have that guy right now, and it's like trays Taking in and run with it again hits tonight were great a lot of singles again I think it's one for 50 is one extra is one extra base hit and left last 55 plate appearances So the average is creeping up, but it's not super super impactful. And again, I I want Schwab protecting Bryce so Fine with it Hopefully, I mean starts been great and it's good to see them getting the 23 version of stop because they need that guy and that's a Super super valuable player

That's been my pushback from for the time being 100% it has to be stops stop batting leadoff. All right last one Adam debt while it was the fills do moving forward max Ke slash left field? Kepler's been playing pretty well. I mean, he, I believe his last 12 games heading into tonight, he's batting like 361 now. That was aided by yesterday for sure. So I think that the way that they made a swing adjustment with him before the first game in New York, I remember Stocker talking about this on the broadcast. They got him closer to the plate, have him standing up a little bit taller. And, um, you know, maybe that kind of gets him to, to, to unlock a little bit.

You saw the home run yesterday, which is really, really good to see. I think he works at pretty quality at best sometimes, you know, I feel like he really struggles against splitters and change ups. So maybe there's a bit of a book out there on him. And but I think overall, they're going to give Kepler a little bit of runway here. Maybe camp. I don't think they would call up Rincones to play with him, obviously. It's another lefty type. They've been playing Mercado some left field, but I don't think he made it make a move there.

You know, I just see what Kepler gives you. Maybe you work a Sosa in there every once in a while and kind of see how it goes. But again, I think he's kind of I think he's kind of evening out a little bit. You're seeing a bit of a step forward from Max Kepler. And then last one here from Andrew Frelinger talking about Seth Johnson and the bullpen. We're seeing Seth Johnson move to the bullpen. Very, very exciting. It's a quick work fight sucker, I appreciate that.

Because last week obviously, our last pilot went on the rant about why are they not converting these starters to relievers? A little surprised they did with Seth Johnson because he doesn't have like the, now again, he doesn't have the greatest command. So you might as well see what he can do out of the bullpen, but he's up to 98 they changed I believe they changed some of the

His slider last year was like a cement mixer, I think they changed some of the Maybe the grip on it. I have no idea but he's getting more break on it so, you know, it's taking a step forward to where it's not a but he's getting more break on it. So, you know, it's taking a step forward to where it's not a waste of time pitch. So I think they worked with him from that standpoint. So maybe, maybe Steph Johnson could be someone that could help out this bullpen,

but bullpen might be kind of rounding into form. I thought Joe Ross threw well yesterday. That's more of what I would like to see from Joe Ross. Couple of innings, you know, he's back up to 94 95. So You know, he's another one of those guys kind of like Nola where it can spot that that cutter away and then and then Two seems to seem her in Tunneling wise it's it's not the easiest thing to pick up but Joe Ross Jose Ruiz had some had some good moments Cesar Hernandez, or Carlos Hernandez, probably not.

So maybe Seth Johnson could take his spot. I don't know, but it could be Joe Kunel. Again, he's been pitching really well up at Lehigh Valley. So again, they don't have the best bullpen in AAA, but I think they have like six guys who didn't really allow much in April. So certainly they heated up from that standpoint. Well, let me see if I had anything else I wanted to talk about here on the pod. No, that was pretty much it. So we went 42 minutes. That's a pretty ridiculous. So it was an exciting win, big win. Off day tomorrow, Nationals in town.

Hopefully that's a springboard into this team, really settling into the year and realizing the potential they do have. So thanks to everyone who hung out. Salter, we'll see if he ever lands, you know, if he lands back in Philly. But either way, big win tonight. Celebratory mood here on a solo Ohio's podcast thanks for hanging out and we'll

talk to you later this week